The Boy Who Lived and the Boy Who Didn't
by acassidy
Summary: Alanna is a head strong, independent, fiercely adventurous woman. After returning from her most recent escapade, a year-long trek across the United States, she comes home to find her best friend, Harry Potter, and a new-comer to the town, Edward Cullen.
1. Chapter 1

chapter 1

She'd passed this mile marker several times; her iced tea was no longer perspiring, instead, it had become watered down and when she sipped it, a faint lemon after-taste coated her throat. The many miles of interstate had lulled her into an almost dream-like state. Tempted to close her eyes and make the scene playing out before them more tangible, Alanna removed her sunglasses and gently pinched the bridge of her nose. It was time to find a rest stop. She needed to collect her thoughts. Spending the last year alone had not only cleansed her but had also made her finely honed deception skills sluggish. Pulling into the rest stop, Alanna was reminded of the many field trips she had taken as a child. The nights before each trip to the aquarium, the science museum, or any other of the mistakenly deemed "educational" trips which instead became the catalysts for socialization, Alanna would lie awake at night; her insomnia at its very worst with the promise of a new place, a new experience, that she would arrive at the bus stop bleary eyed and fatigued, clutching onto a lunchbox and a dream from the early hours of the morning. With each subsequent year as Alanna aged, her insomnia became increasingly severe. As a teenager, it seemed to peak; instead of sleeping, she would walk for hours, often aimlessly. These times that although were originally a source of great frustration, became calming and clarifying. Her parents had protested to these "midnight walks" after sporadic crimes proliferated in the neighborhood but after the adoption of Bear, a burly pit bull aptly named, Alanna's parents became less vocal about their concerns.

It was with Bear's leash in hand that Alanna now removed herself from the car, stretching her legs forcefully. Bear, however, seemed content to laze in the passenger's seat deaf to Alanna's urgings. After a light whistle and a pull at his collar, Bear lumbered out of the car with a sigh. Shaking off the cramped hours, Alanna and Bear began to walk. This rest stop was not particularly spacious but was privy to a large cement parking lot which doubled as temporary living quarters for truckers and the occasional nomad. Alanna was familiar with this scene. The past year, she had walked Bear around many such establishments. She had been one of the few true nomads to grace these rest stops along the interstate. Leaving behind her cell phone, permanent address, all ties, Alanna had mindlessly run. She had tried to convince the few persistent friends that bombarded her laptop, the one aspect of her former life that she kept, that she was not running _from_ but rather _toward; _towards "what" she was less sure of. All that she knew was that her life was crafted by delicately timed impulses. Little truths based on hope or naivety. It wasn't exactly rare that these ideas came to fruition, but it wasn't exactly common, either. She'd left being comfortable, stable, and loved for a chance to find that elusive something that she could not name. It started; it always started, with a prickling of her scalp. Not of fear, but an uncomfortable pulling, leading her towards an impalpable future. Like the time she had almost drowned trying to recover swimming goggles for a stranger at a spring. Her impulsivity was neither feigned altruism nor bravado, but the need. The need to always go deeper, further, and longer than she had thought possible. A wolf-whistle broke the silence. Squinting against the sun, Alanna turned and saw a fine specimen of a man- beer belly, mullet, trucker hat and all. Thoroughly unamused, Alanna continued to walk. "Hey, girl, why don't you come on over here and I can show you a good time?" Alanna grappled for a moment with turning around, whispering "sic 'em" to Bear and showing this sketcher what a good time really was. She chuckled inwardly. How many times had this scenario played out with the unwanted, often crude, comments made to her which instead of being flattering were often insulting? Too many times to count. And a better question- how many times had she retaliated by allowing Bear to growl at the speaker of this ill-fitting form of backwards flattery? Enough to count on one hand.

It was times like these that her lack of friends stung the most. It was difficult for Alanna to admit but while she'd been on the road she had missed human companionship. Bear was much more than adequate most of the time, but it was times where she felt uncomfortable that she missed the laughter or arms of a friend to fold her into after a rough day. Now that the impending reunion between her and all of those she had left behind was rapidly approaching, Alanna felt the pangs of anxiety coupled with expectance. Would she be forgiven for so quickly and seemingly painlessly severing all ties? Now that she was returning, Alanna could not bear the idea that she would not be forgiven by them. By him.

Alanna quickened her pace and left her anxieties to lie dormant for as long as she possibly could. The rest of the ride home was more than long enough for her to ruminate and plan out exactly how she would orchestrate this reunion.


	2. Chapter 2

chapter 2

Alanna gulped. This was truly the moment she had been dreading. Arriving into town thirty minutes prior, she had finally worked up the courage to get out of her car, walk over to the gas station payphone and dial his number. With shaking hands, she had hung up the phone again and again. Gently rocking down to the floor, she sat with her head cradled in her hands, breathing deeply and reminding herself that there had never been a time before that he had not forgiven her. But then again, she couldn't think of a situation that was even comparable to when she packed her bags in one night and left the next morning without so much as a note.

Goodbyes had always been difficult for Alanna. She didn't allow herself to become attached to anyone that she thought would leave her- she preferred to be the one to unconsciously injure her loved ones with her impulsivity. And this was the crux: he had never left her. She had allowed her attachment to tread hand-in-hand with a claim. This claim was far deeper than any temporal stake she could place; instead it had become physically painful whenever she left his presence. But there was too much that separated him. She had called it a "gift" in the beginning of their friendship. After each summer, and towards the winter of their friendship, she had taken to naming it a "curse". So she had to leave. But no, Alanna was not running away from him. She could never admit that it was him who chased her heels as she fled from state to state; searching, constantly searching. How do you quit someone that is so intricately intertwined within yourself? But if the last year had taught her anything, it was that she didn't need him.

Gathering courage and herself up from the floor, she deposited her last quarters, and determinedly dialed his number; still familiar and automatic, her fingers not registering the amount of time they had been separated. It rang. And rang again. Alanna wished that her mouth didn't feel so dry and that her palms weren't so sweaty. During the third ring, she contemplated how awkward it would be if her palms got the better of her and she dropped the phone right when he picked up… if he picked up. Fourth and last ring and still no answer. Alanna's heart rate dropped. All of this anxiety over an answering machine!

"Hey there, you've reached Harry's cell. No, I'm not here right now so leave a message and I'll get back to you. Thanks for calling and have a great day." It was fine. Alanna quickly reminded herself to keep it light, quick, and breezy.

"Uh- hi, Harry. This is 'Lana… um. Alanna. I'm back in town, surprise! I guess that's not a very good surprise, but you know me… Well, it was really great to hear your voice. When can I see you? I mean, I know… I would understand… Okay, well, I'm going to hang up now. Hah. Wow. Bear misses you. I miss you. Okay, now I'm babbling. Uhm. I'm not really sure where I'm staying tonight, so I don't really know how you can get in touch with me. If you wanted to. I would, I really would understand if you don't. That's completely fine. Oh god, I am hanging up now." Alanna hastily hung up, red-faced and out of breath. She wasn't easily shaken but moments like this rattled her for hours on end. In a slight daze, she walked over to her car, sat down in the driver's seat and closed her eyes. She couldn't stop replaying her past. In the haze of her embarrassment and memory perusing, she contemplated how like a near-death experience leaving a message for her best friend was, complete with her life flashing before her eyes; the whole deal. Had she been in a lighter mood, the whole situation would have been humorous: her utter terror at phoning Harry Potter. The boy, now man, whom she had known since before she could speak. She knew everything about him, every nuance, mannerism, inflection and she knew that his knowledge of her was as vast as her repertoire of him was. Romantically, the time had never been right. With his studies and her wariness of commitment, their friendship had always served them better as it was: a friendship.

Bear stuck his nose in her ear and snuffled. Alanna laughed, shedding some of her nerves. Everything had to turn out for the best, if not; there were still some places that she had not seen. If all else failed, Alanna had already scoped out a beautiful area in the mountains around Colorado. She could spend a couple months there if need be… rent a cabin. Laughing again at her theatrics, a wave of exhaustion hit Alanna. The stress of the day and the many miles of driving had taken her past a waking sleep. Alanna started her car and drove to the nearest hotel. Normally, Alanna preferred a challenge, looking around the town in order to find the most appealing area that she could, but in this case she was thankful that she knew this city. Had known it all her life. She pulled into the Red Roof Inn, the closest hotel which allowed pets to accompany their owners, quickly purchased a room for the night, removed her bag of necessities and Bear from the car, entered the room and quickly proceeded to fall into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

chapter 3

Alanna awoke to a faint popping sound. Normally, she was a heavy sleeper but in this new environment, the slightest sound woke her. Determined to fall back asleep, she rolled over and hid her face deeper in her pillow.

"Hey there, buddy." A whisper jarred Alanna from her attempt. Sitting up, she quickly grappled for the light switch. Finding it, light flooded the room. Someone was sitting at the foot of her bed; his faced turned away and engaged in petting Bear. Still heavy with sleep, Alanna remained frozen. He turned around. The dim light displayed his features. His black hair looked even more untidy than usual, as though his hands had run through it multiple times earlier in the night. His green eyes were bright behind his wire-framed glasses. If he stood up, Alanna wondered if he would be as tall as when she had left. But that was silly; she had only been gone a year…

"Harry… you're in my room." Alanna said lamely under her breath. There was a long pause while Harry appraised her, his green eyes inscrutable.

"You've lost weight." Alanna busied herself with twisting her sheets with her hands. She had fully expected her nerves to consume her when she finally saw him, now they were. Slightly numbed by sleep, she still felt antsy and fidgety. Turned incoherent from the combination, she spoke.

"I forgot that you could apparate. I mean, I remembered, it's just always been a shock whenever you popped up. Haha, literally 'popped up'…you know, with that popping noise? Heh…" She paused to catch her breath, "I know. I know that I should have told you, but I couldn't. And I couldn't let you just show up. You were at school, doing god knows what, and I couldn't make you worry… and. I just. I… Please don't make me say it…" Alanna looked up at him. He had removed his glasses and was massaging his forehead. He stood up, stared at her and lightly shook his head.

"Christ, 'Lana…" He covered the distance between them in three strides. Hugging her so fiercely that he almost knocked her off the bed, she buried her face in his shoulder. There were so many things she wanted to say, but her throat felt tight and her eyes burned. She was worried that she would break down if she said anything, so she just held him tighter. After a few minutes in the embrace, Harry held her at arm's length and concern filled his eyes. He looked her over, scrutinizing, calculating, and silently cataloging her differences. Her dark hair was longer than it had been before she left, it now reached her waist. Her blue eyes looked over-bright set in her ivory skin. Relieved, he saw that they were still set in resolve and hadn't lost the hidden fragility that he so loved about her. With a wavering grin Alanna teasingly asked, "Why don't you take a picture, it will last longer." Harry let forth a loud, unrestrained guffaw. Again, he shook his head and let go of her arms. He crawled up towards the head of the bed and leaned back on her pillow. Too anxious to lounge, Alanna faced him with one knee cradling her chin and watched him, waiting. Minutes passed before he spoke.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" He kept his tone casual, but the fire in his eyes gave away his true emotions. "The second you left, I felt it. Hermione told me later that she had charmed you so that I couldn't find you. What were you thinking, Alanna? I mean, what the hell were you thinking?" Alanna disliked being chided and now she felt shame and irritation bubble up inside her.

"I thought it was a good idea… I needed to see more, so I did. Bear was with me the whole time. Here it is: I'm sorry. I want you to forgive me, I really do, but I'm not a child anymore and I needed this." The situation was truly overwhelming; Harry showing up in the early hours of the morning, her exhaustion, the confusion that she felt. Had Harry forgiven her or did he just need reassurance that she was unharmed before he returned to a life that she could not be part of? A single tear rolled down her cheek and she hastily wiped it away, hoping that Harry hadn't seen. "If it's any consolation, I didn't mean to be gone for so long. It was only supposed to be a couple weeks I just got so carried away; some places are so beautiful. I… I don't know what else to say." Harry closed his eyes.

"Say that you will leave this hotel room and stay with me until you find a place. Unless you count this among one of your 'beautiful places', then don't let me get in your way." Harry grinned and tweaked Alanna's nose. "Besides, I don't think Bear is such a big fan." Alanna inwardly sighed.

"I don't know, this room is definitely charming…" she paused, "fine. But only if I get the futon."

"How do you know I still have the futon?" Harry retorted, "you've been gone for a while."

"Oh please, you would never get rid of that futon, just on principle. Sentimental value for all those times I beat you at charades. That futon might not look like much, but I'm pretty sure it's lucky." Harry chuckled and mussed up her hair.

"All right, but you drive. I don't really feel like apparating you, me, and Bear out of here." Alanna smiled. She had missed him more than she could even admit to herself.


	4. Chapter 4

chapter 4

They hadn't even made it out of the hotel parking lot by the time Harry realized that Alanna was unable to drive. Drifting in and out of sleep, her eyes would close and her head would nod and then jerk upright with her eyes flying open. Harry gently asked her to pull over, and with only mild resistance, Alanna did so and they exchanged seats. After clicking her seatbelt in place, Alanna promptly fell asleep with her head propped against the window. Harry smiled and brushed the hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. God, he had missed her. He knew that if he told her how much, it would send her running again. It was the little things that tugged at him the most after she left: her many side projects, how she would knit one sock and then lose interest, the way she looked when she read, her eyes quickly scanning the material with her brow furrowed. But of all, he had missed her fervor. She was what Mrs. Weasley would have called "spit-fire" had they ever met. No, she didn't always think before she spoke, but he could always rely on her for an honest opinion. Her unquestioning loyalty was what had kept them friends over the years. There were some things he couldn't confide in her and for the most part, she understood. She was by far the single person he had felt closest to his entire life; regardless that she was a Muggle. Muggle. He hated using that word to describe her; she was far from ordinary in his opinion, that she had no magic abilities was completely irrelevant in their friendship.

He glanced over at her again. There was no denying that she was beautiful. When they were younger, Harry had adopted more of a "big brother" role and was constantly deterring boys from seeking Alanna. Although he knew that she was perfectly capable, Harry had always been there to keep her safe. When she left without a trace, he had been able to do very little. Wandering aimlessly, Harry had devoted his time to his studies, physical activity, and women that he had absolutely no attachment to. Hermione's part in Alanna's disappearance had nearly ended their friendship, but Harry believed that life was truly too short to hold grudges. And Alanna was back.

Pulling into his driveway, Harry parked and first let Bear into the house. Coming back for Alanna, he lifted her out of the car with ease. She had lost weight, too much, in Harry's opinion. Alanna had always been fit and curvy, but her lack of heft worried him as he hoisted her into his arms. Harry wondered how long her late-night walks had been lasting lately… Entering the house cautiously, so as not to bump her on the doorframe or any other obstacle, Harry placed Alanna gently on the futon, walked to his closet and returned with a pillow and a quilt. Softly elevating her head and placing the pillow beneath, then removing her shoes and setting the quilt on her, Harry kissed her forehead and moved over to his overly-stuffed sitting chair. If Alanna insisted on the futon tonight, he wanted to at least be near her. She was back and under his watchful gaze he prayed that she wasn't a figment of his imagination. Until he was positive that she was not a façade and that she wouldn't sneak out within the hour, he would stay as close as he possibly could without holding too tightly and causing her to rebel from the arrangement that they had instilled. Pointing his wand at the lights and whispering "_nox_", Harry left them in darkness.

The next morning, Alanna woke up feeling refreshed and effervescent. Looking around, she sought for Harry in the early morning light. Lifting her head, she inhaled and smelled something delectable. Pushing herself from the futon, she trudged into the kitchen. Harry was standing with his back to her, placing something into the oven. Bear sat at his feet, a look of intense concentration on his face and a line of drool hanging delicately from his upper lip; it seemed that Bear had the same thoughts as Alanna. One thing could be said for traveling: while on the road, the cuisine was awful. It had been almost a week since Alanna had enjoyed a meal that could have been considered palatable. Noticing Alanna, Bear left his silent begging and trotted over to her, rolling onto the floor for a tummy rub. Alanna grinned and kneeled, giving him his morning scratch. Hearing Alanna's cooing, Harry turned around.

"Hey there. Sooo… I've been trying my hand at cooking lately, and I came up with some guava and cream cheese pastries. I know you like guava. And cream cheese, so hopefully these will be really good. If not, there's a fruit bowl, too." Alanna chuckled.

"Turning all domestic, are we now? Guava and cream cheese pastries? Very masculine," Alanna teased, "where's the steak?"

"Well, I have been known for my feminine wiles… But seriously, they should be damn tasty." Alanna glanced over at the counter, where Harry's wand sat.

"Yeah, I'm sure that they'll be so light that it will almost be like magic. I'll have to be careful they don't fly off my plate. What is it you say, '_wingardrium levyosa_'?" Alanna lifted herself from the floor and mimicked flicking a wand. Harry, humored by the interpretation and her mispronunciation, snickered.

"Sure, sure, poke fun all you want, but when my hexed pastries knock you off your feet, we'll see who's laughing then." The timer rang, and Harry removed the pastries from the oven. From the outside, they truly did look "damn tasty". Harry placed a couple on a plate and then some on another. Placing the plate with the larger two pastries on the bar in front of a stool, he pointed at them and said, "eat." Alanna settled herself onto the stool and took a large bite. They tasted just as great as they looked; charm or not, they really were light, all joking aside. The combination of guava and cream cheese was surprisingly good and Alanna was glad that Harry had placed two before her. Adding the fruit bowl to the bar ledge, Harry joined Alanna and they simultaneously ate. After almost everything had been munched upon, Alanna stood up. She stretched and patted her stomach.

"Okay, I'm feeling pretty crunchy, so I'm gonna go take a shower." Harry looked at her incredulously.

" 'Crunchy'? Where did you hear that word to describe a person? Do tell." Alanna giggled.

"You know, 'crunchy'? Let me use it in a sentence: I'm feeling 'crunchy', so I'm gonna go take a shower." Harry shook his head.

"The towels are in the closet across the hall. Make sure you wash all that 'crunchy' away, that shit sounds contagious." Alanna laughed and walked off to the shower, leaving Harry and Bear to finish breakfast.


	5. Chapter 5

chapter 5

Alanna could only look back on the past couple of weeks with fondness. To ensure that she had been well entertained, Harry had diverted her attention as much as possible. They had taken trips to a nearby beach, camped in a local nature reserve, made s'mores, and taken long and meandering walks with Bear through parks. Harry knew that the only way to keep Alanna happy was to keep her in motion. However, as the days waned on, Harry was able to spend less and less time with her. Increasingly often, business calls had caused him to give Alanna a quick peck on the cheek and then apparate off to the Ministry. Alanna didn't mind at first, she had needed some time on her own. She contemplated how difficult it must be for Harry to straddle two worlds. Alanna had only seen Ron and Hermione sparingly. Their own jobs and their involvement in the wizarding world kept them busy most of the time.

When she returned from her trip, she had realized that the majority of her friends had moved out of their hometown to pursue an education or just to find a new life somewhere. She couldn't blame them; she had done the same thing. One of the few friends that remained was Cecilia. Like Harry, Alanna had known Cecilia for as long as she could remember. They had reconciled over Alanna's disappearance and with Harry becoming less present, Alanna had taken to spending evenings with Cecilia reminiscing and catching up. Looking across the room at the clock, Alanna gasped realizing that she was going to be late. She hastily changed out of her pajamas, an overly large t-shirt and soffee shorts, and threw on a black strapless dress, braided her hair in a halo around her head, and quickly applied mascara. Strapping on her gladiator sandals, Alanna grabbed Harry's keys and flew out the door. Harry kept a car for the times he had to put on a façade of living as a Muggle. It wasn't very attractive, but the old black Civic hatchback was functional. Entering the car and turning down the rock music that Harry so enjoyed, Alanna attached her iPod to the console and turned on her flavor of the week. Unlike Harry, whose taste in music was relatively stable, Alanna listened to about one musical artist or genre a month nonstop, and then grew tired of them and found a new artist to listen to and enjoy. This pattern was constantly repeating itself, but if there was any connection between artists, it could be said that Alanna enjoyed slower music with contemplative lyrics.

The music of the place she was rushing to was one of the reasons Alanna and Cecilia frequented this little bistro so often. Cecilia and herself had stumbled in one day and had been shocked by the overall trendiness of this little café. The ambiance was international and in addition to serving food and drinks from all over the world, the music was often jazz from different countries. Lately, the café had been playing Brazilian jazz which Alanna found suit her just fine. Both Cecilia and Alanna tended to be somewhat high-strung, so the calming ambiance of the bistro allowed them to sit back and relax while enjoying each other's company.

Alanna knew that the ambiance could only do so much as she struggled to find a parking spot in the jam-packed parking lot. Cecilia was not someone that enjoyed being kept waiting. As she circled the lot multiple times, a car finally reversed and Alanna pulled in between a silver Volvo and a large blue truck. Glad that Harry's little Civic was compact, Alanna jumped out of the car and raced inside. As she entered, mildly out of breath, she saw that Cecilia had already staked a claim over two large armchairs facing the bar. Her short blonde hair stuck out over a newspaper and Alanna could see that her foot was tapping impatiently. Alanna theatrically exhaled as she collapsed into the adjacent armchair. Cecilia delicately folded the newspaper, and crossed her arms over her lap.

"What took you so long? Had to have a little quickie with Potter before you left?" Cecilia asked as she arched one of her eyebrows. Her makeup was extreme. Cecilia loved experimenting with bright eye shadow and lipstick. Ever dramatic, tonight her eye shadow was a light emerald that reflected in the little light of the café, her lips were surprisingly low key.

"You know it's not like that between us, I just forgot. Did you order yet?" Alanna questioned. Alanna examined the menu, settling on a Caramel Macchiato, a veggie wrap, and for later, a slice of Chocolate Bourbon Torte.

"No, I haven't yet, but I wonder if _he_'s on the menu." Cecilia pointed a manicured finger at a man sitting at the bar. Glancing over, Alanna was taken aback. He had messy bronze hair and appeared tall although he was sitting down. From his profile, Alanna could see that he was almost inhumanely beautiful, with high cheekbones, full lips, a powerful jaw-line, and a straight nose. Oddly pale, he seemed to be reflecting the blue light from the bar. He also appeared a little too young to be sitting where he was, holding a whiskey in hand but, Alanna noticed, not drinking it. Feigning nonchalance, Alanna returned to her menu.

"Eh. He's passable, I guess." Alanna side-glanced Cecilia, whose mouth was open in shock.

"_PASSABLE? _Please tell me you are joking. Honestly, he has to be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. If you don't make a move, I will. Hell, I might even have to do it now!" Cecilia whispered fiercely at Alanna.

"Woah, calm down, lady. Boys that pretty are never single and if they are, then they're complete assholes. Also- he kind of reminds me of Bill Compton from "True Blood"… I don't know, it's sort of freaking me out. Can we just order and eat? I'm absolutely starving." Cecilia, ignoring Alanna, stood up and settled her skirt, smoothing it over her hips and pulling down her shirt.

"Me too. I am absolutely ravenous." Cecilia winked and sashayed over towards the beautiful man. Alanna let forth a chuckle. If there was one thing that could be said for Cecilia, it was that she was inhumanely confident. She would need that confidence for someone as inhumanely breathtaking as that man, that was for sure. Alanna watched as Cecilia began her flirtation. Sitting down next to him, she ordered a cosmopolitan and accidently brushed his arm, using that contact as her opening, Cecilia raced on. What hardly surprised Alanna was that the man seemed hardly interested. Nodding occasionally, he simply endured Cecilia's flirtation. As Cecilia began to give up hope and after Alanna had ordered for both of them, the stunning man turned, looked right into Alanna soul and smiled a beautiful crooked smile. Alanna tried not to melt and raised her Caramel Macchiato with a wink.

"Well, that was interesting…" She thought. She hardly contained a gasp when he turned to Cecilia, politely dismissed her and began to waltz over to Alanna. "Curiouser and curiouser…" Alanna thought before she became too entranced to think at all.


	6. Chapter 6

chapter 6

The beautiful man strode towards Alanna, full of purpose. Mentally reminding herself to breathe, Alanna sipped her drink. As he reached her, he extended his hand.

"Edward Cullen. I couldn't help but notice that you're all alone. Can I get you something stronger to drink?" Alanna clasped his hand; it was surprisingly chilled and hard, not in a muscular way, but more like marble. She smiled.

"Alanna, and no thank you, I like to keep my head around strange men." A faint smile touched his lips.

"I would like it if we weren't strangers." Alanna was a bit taken aback by his forwardness. Normally, she enjoyed doing a bit of the chasing, although she had to admit that she enjoyed observing the brash confidence of this stunning man. Raising an eyebrow, Edward added, "You're not so bad looking, yourself." Alanna's face remained calm, but her mind spun. She delicately arched an eyebrow and replied, "Maybe I will have something stronger after all…" As he walked to the bar, she mulled over what had just occurred. Was she being paranoid or had he just read her mind? Cecilia plunked down in the armchair next to her, licking her lips.

"Well, you can't blame a girl for trying... You lucky bitch, you get them all don't you? First Potter and now this scrumptious bit of tasty? I could ring your neck, girl!" Cecilia joked good-naturedly. "But I can't even lie; you two would have _beautiful_ children. Although let's hope they have your eyes, his are… a freaky sort of unique." Alanna remained quiet. She honestly didn't know what to make of this stranger. This confidence on anyone else, she would deem arrogance, but on him she had to admit, it was well… sexy. Turning her tilted head towards Cecilia, Alanna grinned. "Girl, you better wipe that love-struck grin off your face before he gets back." Cecilia chuckled, "Don't make that poor boy fall in love with you anymore than he already has. I'll be over at the bar picking up someone far less attractive. Give me all the details tomorrow." Cecilia squealed, slapped Alanna's knee and stood. And with that, Cecilia left the scene in search of someone more willing than Edward had been. Alanna anxiously fidgeted. She wasn't acting love-struck, but she was acting a bit like a fool. Mentally telling herself to pull it together, Alanna tucked her legs beneath herself and busied herself with the Chocolate Bourbon Torte that the waiter had placed in front of her. Looking up, she realized that Edward had soundlessly returned. In his hand, he held out a shot glass. As he handed it to Alanna, she sniffed it, recoiling.

"What is this?" Alanna inquired.

"The bartender's special, he told me it was just some fancy Vodka they had imported from the Netherlands…" Alanna tilted her head back, and quickly shot it to the back of her throat. "… and Drano…" Edward added. Alanna had to restrain a choke, as she stared at him wide-eyed. She could already feel it burning down her throat. "Joking, that was a joke," he chortled. "I only poison women on the third date." His crooked grin, or maybe it was the alcohol taking effect, made Alanna's vision swim. She hesitantly returned the grin.

"Funny. I tend to do the same thing. Although, once my dates hear about my criminal record, there tends to not be a third one, so I don't get the pleasure of poisoning too many guys… Ooops… I've said too much." Alanna feigned a look of horror, "joking, I was joking…" She unnecessarily added as Edward's full lips were already upturned in a smile.

"Too bad, because I like a woman that knows her way around a jail cell," Edward teased. As the banter continued, Alanna was relieved that Edward gave no other indication of being able to read her mind. She tentatively thought that it must have just been a coincidence. Or maybe she misheard him and it was simply a statement that he thought that she was physically attractive. Whatever it was, he was far too alluring for her to consider the minor bump as anything more than superficial. She relaxed into the back of her chair and studied him. He really was inhumanely beautiful. She had never seen anyone that could compare, even some of the most attractive celebrities dimmed in her mind.

"So, what's your life story?" Edward's question tugged Alanna back to reality.

"Wow, well that's a little heavy for a first meeting, should we save that for date three along with the rat poison?"

"I just want to know if I should waste my time with you." Was that a joke? His mouth smiled lightly, but his eyes were intense and burning. Alanna felt the sudden urge to sleep. She honestly had not been this fatigued since her return.

"All right, then, but you're next. I'll go chronologically, I don't want you to overwhelm your pretty little head," Alanna grinned and continued, "I was born, had some hobbies, I collected notes I found in library books. Umm… I was a pretty good horse-back rider, I did the whole jumping circuit… I don't know, this is harder than I thought it would be," she looked from under her lashes at Edward. He at least appeared interested. "I finished high school a little early, went on to college and finished that pretty fast, too. I double-majored in English and Medieval Studies, both of which are apparently useless in the real world," she grinned, "and last year I traveled around the country… So, yeah. I think that covered just about everything. Okay, your turn." Alanna mimed handing a microphone to Edward.

"I think I might have to take a rain check on this one, it might be a little bit much for you to handle." Edward smirked, but behind it, Alanna saw a sincerity that both unnerved her and peaked her curiosity.

"You seem to be forgetting my time spent in the slammer; I think I can handle whatever you can throw at me." She leaned in and placed her hand on his arm, a faint smile touching her lips; she hoped it was alluring.

"It's getting late, you should get home." Alanna, slightly annoyed, but all the more curious, looked at the clock. Time was flying today; it was almost two in the morning!

"Wow, yeah. Well, it was great meeting you." Alanna collected her purse and left a generous tip on the table. "Let's do this again some time." She smiled, glad and relieved that he wanted to see her again. "Sounds great, I don't have a phone, but you can reach – " Edward cut her off.

"I'll find you." Inside, Alanna's stomach dropped. That was a brush-off if she had ever experienced one.

"Well, good night." She smiled and left, feeling deflated and slightly buzzed. Alanna didn't see Edward's topaz eyes watching her as she walked out.


	7. Chapter 7

chapter 7

Alanna drove home, thoroughly perplexed. She couldn't understand what had just happened at the bar. Although it appeared that the most beautiful man she had ever seen, Edward, had been interested, and they had seemingly had a good time, he had expressed no intentions of pursuing her. Alanna had never been one to force someone into liking her; if they did, great, if not, then she had just always assumed that it just wasn't meant to be. But they had got along well, and she had enjoyed his company. Alanna shoved it to the back of her mind as she pulled into the driveway. It was late, or rather, early, but instead of exhaustion, Alanna felt as though every one of her nerves were alight. Walking to the door, Alanna was conflicted. Earlier, she had constantly hoped that Harry would pop up unexpectedly; through with his task and ready to start some other adventure or just sit down and talk with her, but now she just wanted to be alone and take a walk.

Quietly walking through the door, Alanna tiptoed past the foyer, not wanting to disturb Harry if he was home. The lights were out and she could hear Bear's soft snores. Muffling her steps by removing her sandals, Alanna drifted into the kitchen, leaving the light off. The full moon illuminated the room, reflecting on the appliances and dancing across Alanna's face. She poured herself a glass of water and leaned back against the counter. Was Harry home? Taking the water with her and sipping it as she walked, Alanna peeked into his room. His bed was empty, and the bathroom door was open and likewise uninhabited. Walking in, a little less cautious as there was no Harry to accidently awaken, she sat upon his bed. Looking around, the room was distinctly "Harry-esque". It was relatively simple, but elegant. The linens in the room reeked of his Hogwarts upbringing; his sheets and comforter were a brilliant scarlet, while the adornments on his curtains were gold. The odd trinket littered his shelves and although he was no Hermione, or Alanna, who enjoyed her fair share of Muggle literature, Harry had a substantial collection of text resting in an oversized bookshelf in the corner. Alanna grinned. As much as Harry hated to admit it, he liked to read. She often caught him sneaking off with one of her books, he had said that oftentimes he preferred her Muggle-written books to the wizarding world's; he had noticed that the writers tended to be less arrogant.

Closing her eyes, she rocketed herself backwards onto the bed. She disliked admitting it, but it really was more comfortable than the futon. As she heard the popping sound characteristic of Harry's reappearance from apparating, she remained stationary. It wasn't until she heard a groan and the sound of a collapsing body that Alanna sat bolt-upright and glanced around the room.

"Harry?" Alanna called out for him, continuing to scan.

" 'Lana? You're in my room." The faint question and the déjà vu led to the floor where Alanna saw that Harry was in a heap, struggling to right himself.

"Oh, god, Harry, what happened? Are you okay?" Alanna attempted to keep her voice from sounding shrill and panicked. She knew that sometimes his missions with the Ministry were dangerous, but it never got easier for her whenever she saw him weakened.

"Mmmmyeah, 'ss all right," Harry mumbled, "think you couldmm help me up? Little woozy…" Rushing to his side, Alanna could see that he was pale and shaky. Placing a hand across his forehead, his skin felt clammy and over-heated. Her hands shook as she lifted his head and placed it in her lap.

"Harry… Haven't I told you enough times that no one likes a hero?" her chuckle was nervous and strained. "Come on, I'm gonna try to get you up now. Use your legs, okay?" Alanna tried to lift him, but found that in this semi-unconscious state, he was heavier than lead.

"Srry about these noodle legss… y'know they used ter call me stringbean?"

"If you were still a string bean, we wouldn't be having this problem…" Alanna glanced around the room searching for something that could help her. If she could get him to the bed, she was sure that she could, with a lot of effort, eventually get him in it.

"Eyy, 's'okay, I think I can standd…" Harry again tried to lift himself up and then collapsed. "'slike I'm really heavy and the gravity's pullingh me really, really hard. 'Lana, don't let the gravity get chyou down." Ignoring his babblings, Alanna removed the scarlet sheets from his bed and laid them out beside him.

"Okay, Harry, I'm going to roll you over onto these sheets and then I'm going to pull you over to the bed. How are you feeling?"

"I feel fiinnnee, 'Lana, just fine." Rolling him onto the sheets, she bundled a corner into her hand and began to slowly and laboriously drag him over to the bed. " 'Lana, 's like you're one of those dogs and I'm the musher. But yerrr not a dog. No, no, no. 'Lana, I ever tell you that yer just so beautiful?" They had reached the bed and Alanna was attempting to hoist him onto it.

"Harry, that's great, but right now I have to get you into the bed and you need to tell me what happened to you. It's obvious that you're not yourself. Okay? Help me out a little here." With one last push and a weak attempt from Harry, Alanna hoisted him onto the bed. Brushing back the sweat-covered hair from his forehead, she revealed the lightning shaped scar on his forehead. Kissing it, she whispered, "please be all right, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, 'sjust a temporary hex. 'll be okay in the morning. 'S clothes are so heavy, 's hard to breathe." Previously so concerned with getting Harry into bed, Alanna had failed to realize that his clothes were also soaked in sweat; he must have been involved in an intense duel. Gently removing his shirt and revealing his toned torso, she threw it onto his hamper. She decided to leave his jeans on.

"I'm gonna go get you some water and then I want you to try to sleep, sound good?" Harry zealously nodded his head and then stared at Alanna.

" 'Lana, chyou really are the most beautiful girl I've ever met." Alanna hesitantly smiled and walked off. Harry watched as she left and then proceeded to fall into a deep sleep. Alanna returned with the water and placed it on the nightstand beside his bed. Walking over to his cd player in the corner of his room, she inserted her favorite mixed cd and pressed play. Walking over to the bed as her music played, she covered Harry with his comforter and climbed into bed with him. Despite his assurances, she was still worried about his condition; she didn't want him to be alone. Alanna drifted off to sleep to the sound of Harry's breathing and the music streaming from the speakers.

_And now, it's left me blind/ the stars, the moon, they have all been blown out/ you left me in the dark/ no dawn, no day/ I'm always in this twilight in the shadow/of your heart. _


End file.
